


The Density of Dragon Hide

by Spaz_attack101



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: College of Winterhold Questline, Companions Questline (Elder Scrolls), Dragonborn DLC (Elder Scrolls), Eventual Romance, F/M, Freeform Companions Questline, Healer Dragonborn, How Do I Tag, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, No Smut, Not Beta Read, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Child Abuse, Post-Dawnguard DLC (Elder Scrolls), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Skyrim Main Quest, Tags Are Hard, We Die Like Men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:00:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27376087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spaz_attack101/pseuds/Spaz_attack101
Summary: "I swore to heal others, not kill them cause it's convenient!""They're already dead.""That is NOT how dead things are supposed to act!"The return of Alduin the World-Eater and the Dragonborn to defeat him has been prophesied thousands of years ago. Tales of the Dragonborn and his to-be battles are well known to the Nords, and why not? Talos was Dragonborn as well as a Nord, and the Thu'um is an ancient Nordic ability.If the Dragonborn of prophecy is supposed to be a male Nord warrior, then why is a female Imperial healer, dragged into the chaos foretold by the Elder Scrolls?
Relationships: Female Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Vilkas
Comments: 6
Kudos: 7





	The Density of Dragon Hide

**Author's Note:**

> Hello to those who actually read this. Because this is a Preamble, I think it appropriate to give some background where this story's coming from. This will be one of the very few times I leave a note.
> 
> I am very new to the Elder Scrolls fandom. I remember when Skyrim came out; all I knew of it was that I loved its soundtrack (still do), and you fought people and dragons. That was it. The games I've played have mainly been Nintendo games. The Legend of Zelda is my favorite series hands down. I thought it was neat that Skyrim came to the Switch, but I didn't buy it until several months after I graduated college. I'm going to assume that everyone here is familiar with COVID-19 and how it had people in lockdown. After I beat Breath of the Wild for the 15th time, I found myself watching some of TheHumbleNoob's Skyrim videos on YouTube. 
> 
> She looked like she was having a blast, and I decided that I wanted to also have some blast. So I bought Skyrim in August 2020 (a very belated birthday and graduation gift to myself). I really enjoyed coming up with my character, and this story is based off my very first playthrough of Skyrim. There will be liberties taken throughout this story one, to make it interesting and two, because I can.

The citizens of Whiterun were always aware of the ongoings of Jorrvaskr. 

Due to the rambunctious nature of its residential warriors, it’s rather difficult to not be aware of the mead hall. Even when the warriors were out on a job, Jorrvaskr still exudes life and the familial glory of the Companions, and to the people of Whiterun, this was a comfort. Despite the death of the Gildergreen Tree, tensions of the Civil War, and the Thalmor butting in people’s business, Jorrvaskr remained unchanged. The anchor of normality gave most citizens hope; those in the Wind District only wished that Jorrvaskr would train their damned dogs to stop howling in the middle of the night.

It’s no secret that Skyrim’s a challenging place to live, even for the hardiest of Nords. Things have only gone downhill since the Empire surrendered to the Aldmeri Dominion. Many people speculated that things got this bad because the Mede Empire was not chosen by the nine divines, unlike the Septim Dynasty before being wiped out during the Oblivion Crisis due to Martin Septim’s sacrifice. 

With the separation of Hammerfell from the Empire during the Great War, more and more of Skyrim’s residents were starting to take Ulfric Stormcloak’s view of separation from the Empire. Perhaps the only way to make things better was to be rid of those who are not Nord’s and openly honor and worship Talos. The Thalmor enforcement of banning Talos-worship is when things truly took a turn for the worse in Skyrim. Markarth, for example, was once a place of strength and wealth. With the White-Gold Concordat, they fell to the Forsworn until Ulfric and his men came with the promise of Talos-worship being reinstated. Then the Empire caught wind and put a bounty on Ulfric’s head and Markarth is one of the bloodiest cities in Skyrim. 

This was another reason the people in Whiterun were grateful for Jorrvaskr. Though they remained neutral in the war, they actually protect the people better than the guards. 

The news of Ulfric’s capture by General Tullius spread like wildfire. 

Reactions to this news varied from person to person. It was celebrated by the Battle-Born’s while the Gray-Mane’s mourned. Jarl Baalguf could only hope that it would bring an end to the war he desperately fought to stay neutral in. The Khajiit merchants began to look forward to the warmth of Elsweyr, and farmers had higher hopes for the survival of their crops. Heimskr, the Talos Priest, cried out for prayer and fast for the nine to spare Talos’ champions while a Redguard woman prayed for the removal of the Alik'r warriors looking for her. 

Tensions grew nearly hostile when Thorald, a son of the Gray-Mane clan, vanished without a trace. 

Vignar Gray-Mane was quick to blame the Battle-Born’s and tried many times to use his connections with the Companions to make the Battle-Born’s reveal what they did with Thorald. Eorlund Gray-Mane recognized this as a threat to Jorrvaskr’s neutrality and decided to begin mourning the loss of his son despite the possibility of Thorald being alive. With the new rumors of dragons and the destruction of Helgen, Eorlund recognized that requests for the Companions would keep the warriors busy for some time. He only hoped that Fralia and Avulstein would come to eventually forgive him. 

The Companions did become busier. With news of Ulfric’s escape, more and more people were becoming restless to join in the war. Thieves and bandits took advantage of villages able-bodied men and women leaving their homes. Petitions for a garrison of soldiers were met with long delays that grew with the movement of the war. People turned to the Companions more frequently than their Jarl for aid. 

\------

Danica Pure-Spring sighed as she looked up to the bare branches of the Gildergreen. The temple of Kynareth was becoming more of an infirmary than a place of worship to the goddess. There was only so much she could do when healing others, and so many had started to lose faith when they sought peace from the Gildergreen only to find the hollowness in their soul deepened. 

Was hope really a thing of the past?

“Excuse me, but can you tell me why there is a dead tree in the park?”

Danica abandoned her rummaging to look at the woman before her. She was rather short for an Imperial. She wasn’t from Whiterun nor Skyrim from the look of her, but couldn’t possibly be a pilgrim. “This is no ordinary tree. This is the Gildergreen tree which came from the Eldergleam tree itself as a blessing of Kynareth herself.”

“So what happened to it?”

“It was taken by a lightning strike. It is my duty as a priestess of Kynareth to care for it, but lately, it seems I am more nurse than priestess. With people constantly coming to the temple in need of tending from their sufferings, both in mind and body, from this terrible war.”

“I’m afraid I don’t see how you can help an already dead tree. Why not plant a new sapling from this, Eldergreen was it?”

Danica eyed the woman with speculation. “Eldergleam,” There was something about this stranger that caused an inaudible voice to nag in the back of her mind. Something important, but what? “Trees like this never really die. They only slumber. It is possible to awaken it if I had some sap from the parent tree.”

The Imperial looked skeptically at the tree, “I wish you luck then. Good day.”

Danica felt the oncoming of a headache as the Imperial woman began walking towards the steps leading to the Cloud District. The nagging feeling had her surging to her feet before she knew what she was doing. “Wait! I - oh,” The world went black as she hit the ground.  
Danica was standing alone in front of the Gildergreen in its former glory when a blood-chilling roar rent the air. Frantically looking for the source of the shout, she failed to see the wilting and blackening of the tree until it was too late. A void of darkness surrounded her as she returned to her search of what caused the shout. Moments later the same shout blasted overhead causing fire to fall from the sky. The light from the flames caused something to gleam in the darkness. Despite her efforts, Danica could not make out what the object was until its mouth opened to reveal fangs and fire. Danica was unable to move or scream, feeling the heat as the fire rushed towards her only to be stopped by the silhouette of a woman with armor and a shield. Before she could see what happened next, a golden glow accompanied by warmth flooded her senses. 

Danica woke with a gasp to see a group of people surrounding her as well as the strange woman kneeling beside her, hands glowing with restoration magic. The pain in her head was gone as well as any injury she might have sustained with her fall. 

“Don’t get up too quickly. That’s how you got here in the first place.” the woman gently teased, she turned her attention to a nearby guard, “Will you carry her to where she lives?”

The guard grumbled under his breath about lollygaggers before scooping Danica in his arms. The Imperial woman turned to the gathered crowd, “She’ll be alright after some food and rest. Thank you for your help.” and trotted towards the guard waiting for her to open the door of the temple.

They were greeted by Jenssen who directed them to her bed. Once relieved of his charge the guard marched out to return to his duties. Danica listened as the Imperial spoke to Jenssen about what happened as well as her diagnosis and treatment plan for a quick recovery. 

“How do you know all this?” Jenssen asked, “Are you a priestess from another temple?”

The Imperial shook her head, “I’m a healer. I’ve studied restoration magic, alchemy, and healing techniques for years in the Imperial City. Take care.”

Danica knew she couldn’t let the woman leave just yet, “Please, wait,” the Imperial stopped and turned to look at her. Danica licked her lips, “will you help me revive the Gildergreen?”

The Imperial hesitated before answering, “I’m better at healing people than plants, but if you need me to retrieve the sap you spoke of, I can.”

After telling the woman about the knife needed to get the sap and giving its whereabouts, the woman left with a promise to return as soon as she could. For the first time in years, the stress of the war seemed to ease in her heart. Jorrvaskr may have been an anchor for many people in Whiterun, but Danica felt hope fill her soul from her interactions with the woman. ‘The Healer’, Danica chuckled to herself as she felt her body give in to its exhaustion, ‘how appropriate.’

Hopefully, she’d have the chance to remember to ask for a name.

**Author's Note:**

> For those wondering how long this story will be, I don't know yet. 
> 
> What I do know is:  
> This is the Preamble  
> There are 5 Acts  
> and  
> There is an Epilogue. 
> 
> I already have an outline for each act and the Epilogue is already written (I haven't proofread it yet). I have all of my characters' backgrounds written out. I even consulted the Elder Scrolls fandom wiki to make sure some things make sense. I even drew a timeline. 
> 
> Thinking about the hours I've spent on developing this story makes me feel like a dork.


End file.
